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The Island of Missing Trees
- Author
- Elif Shafak
- Narrator
- Daphne Kouma, Amira Ghazalla
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 5 August 2021
- Run Time
- 11 hours 44 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Fiction: dual or multiple timelines, Narrative theme: love / relationships, Narrative theme: environmental issues / the natural world, Narrative theme: war and conflict
- Rating
- 4.9 (7 reviews)
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022
THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK
You don't fall in love in Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Not here, not now.
In 1974, two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided Cyprus, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek, and Defne who is Turkish, can meet in secret, hidden beneath the leaves of a fig tree growing through the roof of the tavern. This tree will witness their hushed happy meetings, and will be there when the war breaks out and the teenagers vanish.
Decades later in north London, sixteen-year-old Ada has never visited the island where her parents were born. She seeks to untangle years of her family's silence, but the only connection she has to the land of her ancestors Is a fig tree growing tin the garden of their home . . .
'This book moved me to tears . . . in the best way. Powerful and poignant' Reese Witherspoon
'A brilliant novel -- one that rings with Shafak's characteristic compassion' Robert Macfarlane
'This is an enchanting, compassionate and wise novel and storytelling at its most sublime' Polly Samson
© Elif Shafak 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
Critics Review
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An outstanding work of breathtaking beauty
Lemn Sissay
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A writer of important, beautiful, painful, truthful novels
Marian Keyes
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Lovely heartbreaker of a novel centered on dark secrets of civil wars & evils of extremism: Cyprus, star-crossed lovers, killed beloveds, damaged kids
Margaret Atwood on Twitter
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Elif Shafak is a unique and powerful voice in world literature
Ian McEwan
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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A wise novel of love and grief, roots and branches, displacement and home, faith and belief. The Island of Missing Trees is balm for our bruised times
David Mitchell, author of Utopia Avenue
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Simply magnificent, a truly captivating work of immense power and beauty, on the essence of life and its end
Philippe Sands on '10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World'
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A rich, sensual novel... This is a novel that gives voice to the invisible, the untouchable, the abused and the damaged, weaving their painful songs into a thing of beauty
Financial Times on '10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World'
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Elif Shafak's extraordinary 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds in this Strange World is a work of brutal beauty and consummate tenderness
Simon Schama on '10 Minutes, 38 Seconds in this Strange World'
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One of the best writers in the world today
Hanif Kureishi
User Reviews
Book 4.9
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
A beautiful book and read in a beautiful way. Had me captivated from start to finish.
frogsinponds 2025-11-03 -
5.0 5.0
So beautiful, just everything about it is kind and full of love. Such a gentle sincere book, which weaves it's central love story and explaining the history and it's context so well with Shafack's rich narration (on another note the literal audiobook narration is also top tier). You'll laugh and cry with all the characters, oh it's just a perfect book.
floralwallpaper 2023-06-27
Details
- Author
- Elif Shafak
- Narrator
- Daphne Kouma, Amira Ghazalla
- Duration
- 11 hours 44 minutes
- Release Date
- 5 August 2021
- ISBN
- 9780241993026
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Fiction: dual or multiple timelines, Narrative theme: love / relationships, Narrative theme: environmental issues / the natural world, Narrative theme: war and conflict
- Rating
- 4.9(7 reviews)
- Narration
- 5.0(7 reviews)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICKYou don't fall in love in Cyprus in the summer of 1974. Not here, not now.In 1974, two teenagers, from opposite sides of a divided Cyprus, meet at a tavern in the city they both call home. The tavern is the only place that Kostas, who is Greek, and Defne who is Turkish, can meet in secret, hidden beneath the leaves of a fig tree growing through the roof of the tavern. This tree will witness their hushed happy meetings, and will be there when the war breaks out and the teenagers vanish.Decades later in north London, sixteen-year-old Ada has never visited the island where her parents were born. She seeks to untangle years of her family's silence, but the only connection she has to the land of her ancestors Is a fig tree growing tin the garden of their home . . .'This book moved me to tears . . . in the best way. Powerful and poignant' Reese Witherspoon'A brilliant novel -- one that rings with Shafak's characteristic compassion' Robert Macfarlane'This is an enchanting, compassionate and wise novel and storytelling at its most sublime' Polly Samson© Elif Shafak 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
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